Pneumatic tube system



July 14. 1931 H. MOREHCUSE PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEM Filed Dec. 27, 1930 Mentor Wmre/wad'e Cmomeg Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY W. MOREHOUSE, F GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEM A lication filed December 27, 1930. Serial No. 505,150.

'10 end of such tube. Such long tubes are frequently arranged to form a series of sections, in which case air under pressure is supplied at the beginning of each section and a partial vacuum is produced at the terminal portion of each section, suitable Valve means being provided betweenthe sections to con trolthe passage of the carriers through the system. The operation of the valves is so arranged that the vacuum at the end of one 2 section and the pressure at the beginning of the next section may not counteract each other. In the operation of such systems provision is sometimes necessary to permit the introduction or removal of carriers at an in- 125 termediate point or points. For thispurpose a laterally opening door is provided at each point where it is desired to introduce or remove carriers and it is usual to locate these doors between adjacent sections. ,If

" '30 such a door is located on the pressure side of the valve means between the sections, opening of the door causes loss of pressure and the'outflowing air renders it difiicult to in troduce the carrier. If such door is located on the vacuum side of such valve means, the opening of the door breaks the vacuum. In either case the operation of the system is injuriously afi'ected.

Among the objects of the presentinvention are the provision of a novel valve and door arrangement at the junction of the sections of a pneumatic. tube whereby the door may be opened and a carrier introduced. or removed without appreciably affecting the 4 efficiency of the system; the provision of-a valve arrangement wherein the door will open on a zone of neutral pressure, thatv is toisay, a zone wherein the pressurev within the pneumatic'tube is substantially that of the external atmosphere,sothat the carrier may be introduced or removed without difliculty, the provision of a triple valve arrangement between successlve sections of the tube; and the provision of means for actuating the individual valves in such timed relation that the vacuum end of one section is always out off from the pressure end of the next section.

With the above and other objects in view one formof the invention will now be de- I scribed in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which is a View partly in section and partly in perspective and illustrating the complete device.

In the embodiment of the invention as herein illustrated there is shown that portion of a pneumatic tube system which lies between adjacent tube sections, the remainder of the system being omitted as not I necessary to an understanding of the invention.

In this. part of the system there is employed an upper or vacuum cut-off valve 10, an intermediate valve 11 and a lower. orpressure cut-off valve 12, all of which are here shown as substantially identical in construction. Each of these valves: has a cylindrical body or. casing 13 arranged transversely of the maintube'line. An upper connecting nipple 14 2 extends upwardly from this casing and a similar lower con- I nectmg nipple extends downwardly from the body in'alinem-ent with the upper nip le. A plunger 16 of hollow construction but closed at both ends is slidably' mounted in the casing or body and has adjacent one end a tubular passage '17 of the same diameter as the pneumatic tube inwhich the valve ment with the nipples 14 and'15 and may slide to the other end of the casing to close communication between the nipples 14 and 15. The extreme positions of these plungers are clearly shown in the figure wherein,

the valves 10 and 12 are shown as having their plungers in positions to out oli communication between the nipples 14 and 15 and the valve 11 is shown with its plunger alined with the nipples to permit free communication therebetvveen so that a carrier may pass the valvelll in movement down the tube. A head 19 closes one end of each casing-13 and is provided with a ni ple or pipe socket 2'0: fiiitlilarly a head 2 closes the other endoi eaoli "casing, 14 and is pi ovided with a nipple 22 which may be closed by a plug 23. cushioned by boring a small hole through the plug, 23 or by cutting a notch in the threaded portion of the plug. Packing gaskets 24 are interposed between the heads 19 and 21 and the casing 14. If it is desired to provide means for operating a valve manually stem 25 1h ay project through the opening of a nipple 22 and have its inner end screwed into the plunger 16 andit s outer end provided with a finger grip or ring 26. j I

The lengtliof the carriers and the number which are to be handled in any .eycle; determiiie theiQspacing or distance between the x'a-lves; The proper spacing will permit the handlingof an accumulation of carriers without jamming or blocking. Under these conditioiis in case a carrier is caught on the closing iii a pistonrit will be engaged at an intermediate, portion and as the piston action is yieldable ho injury to the carrier will result I A door section 27 of tubular form isarranged between the valves '10 and 11, being connected to said valves by short tube sections or: nipples 28. Asdoor opening 29; is formed in this "doorsection and is normally closed bya'dob'r 8'0, hinged to the section 2? and provided with an operating handle '31-. Tubing 32 connects the valves 11 and 12.

In operation the plungers 16 of'the valves 10 and 12 mbve in unison to'open and close at the same time butt-he plunger of the valve 11 moves in opposition to the plungers of valves 10. and 12, closing wlien they open and opening when they close. It is t'o be noted that each time the valves '10 and open; pressure is established below tli'e valve 11 'an'd'a partial vachum' is established above the valve 11 so that, upon the valves 10 and 12 b'eiiig closed, opening of the valve 1'1 causes the pressure below valve 11 to be substantially neutralized by the partial "vacuum 'above valve 11 and the door can thus be opened and a carrier C introduced for re moved at this time without difficulty or hindrance; This operation is shown in broken lines in'the drawing. p As one means for so o erati g valves 10 and 12 in "unison and valve 11 in opposition thereto therehas been shown a motor 33. Gea-rihg "8'3 fconnects this motor to a cam shaft 34 Whereon are mounted cams 35. Control valves 36 are each connected to a pressure supply pipe 37 and a vacuum or suction pipe 38. One of these valves is connected by a pipe 39 with the nipple 20 of valve 11 while the other-valve 35 is connected by a branched pipe iO'With the nipples 20 of valves 10 and 12. The cams 35 are arranged to so operate the valves 36 that pressate is pre a ed in the ends o'fthe 'ca'siiigs 13 to which the ipe 40 is attested to dose w I h .valves 10 and 12 just prior to the establish- The impact of the plun er is iii'e'iit tr 'ava'cuum in the corresponding end Qfvalve 11 and pressure is produced in said valve 11 just prior to the establishment of vacuum in "valves 10 and 12. The va'lves1O and 12 operate in unison and in tinied alternation with thevalve 11. Thus the valve llis opened only when valves 10 and 12 are'closed and 'thelatter areopencd only when valve 11 is closed. By this arrangement any appreciable loss er vacuum above valve 10" or of pressure belowvalve 12 is prevented and at no tilne can ainblow out of the door when opened to violently eject a carrier fromthe system to the possible injury of the carrier br anearby person or object; V

I have described the. apparatus "as located at an intermediate point in the pneumatic tube system to serve as a'relay devicebut it is evident that it inay be employed at a termina'lsending station as a transmitting device; or it be employed at a receiving terminal station as a receiving device and I intend to cover an such uses in my. claims} 7 Icl'aim:

1. Ina pneumatic tube system "for carriers; a set of valves controllingthe passage of the carrier's through the tube or tubes of the system comprising an intermediate valve anda pair of valves arranged one on each sideof the intermediate;valve,each bf saidvalves mounted to .inbve transversely Oi the tube and arranged to completely close the tube in one'p'ositio'n and to permit ifree pas sage 'there'throu'gh in 1 the "other position; and actuating mean arranged to openahd ea e the pair of valves in nnisonand in timed alternation with said intermediate valve; Y

2. "In apn'ehmatic tfibe 'system "for carriers including adjacent tube sections, a. set of valves between said tubesect-ions including an intermediate valve and tarot valves arran ed one on each s ide of the inter-ine- 'diate valve, tubes onnectin g said valves in series, and means to o en and'el'ose the pair of valves in unison and-in timed alternation with the intermediate valve. I

3; Ina pneumatic tube system for carrier's including adjace'iit tube sections; a set tr '1 valves between said tube sections including an intermediate valve and a pa-ir'of valves arrange'd'one on each side of theinte'rrnediate valve, tuoes connecting said valves in series. and meairs to open and close the pairof valves in unison and in timed alternation with the intermediate valve, each of said valves being arranged to shut off all communication between opposite sides of the valve when closed and to permit free passage of a arranged to shut off all communication between opposite sides of the valve when closed and to permlt free passage of a carrier when open, the tube connecting the intermediate valve with one of the pair of valves having a lateral opening for the admission or removal of carriers, and a normally closed door controlling said opening. r 5. In a pneumatic tube system for carriers including adjacent tube sections wherein the adjacent ends of the sections constitute respectively a pressure chamber and a vacuum chamber, a valve controlled connection between said adjacent ends, valves in said connection constantly preventing communication between said pressure and vacuum chambers but operable to permit passage of a carrier from the vacuum chamber to the pres sure chamber, said valves being further arranged to establish pressure within the connection substantially equivalent to that of the atmosphere, and a normally closed door in said connection afli'ording means for the insertion or removal of a carrier upon being opened.

6. In a pneumatic tube system for carriers, including tube sections having adjacent ends constituting a vacuum chamber and a pressure chamber respectively, a tubular connection between said ends, an intermediate valveinterposed in said connection between the ends thereof, a second valve between said connection and the vacuum chamber, a lateral doorway in said connection between the intermediate valve and said second valve, a carrier admission door normally closing said doorway, and a third valve between said connection and said pressure chamber, said valves being arranged to constantly prevent communication between said vacuum and pressure chamber but operable to permit passage of a carrier from the vac uum chamber to the pressure chamber.

7. In a pneumatic tube system for carriers, including tube sections having adjacent ends constituting a vacuum chamber and a pressure chamber respectively, a tubular connection between said ends, an intermediate valve interposed in said connection between the ends thereof, a second valve between said connection and the vacuum chamber, a lateral doorway in said connection between the intermediate valve and said second valve, a carrier admission door normally closing said doorway, a third valve between said connection and said pressure chamber, and valve actuating means arranged to open and close said second and third valves in unison and in timed alternation with the intermediat valve.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY W. MOREHOUSE. 

